Legging



. 1,613 784 Jan. 11, 1927- J, R. BINGAMAN x-:T An.

v LEGGING Filed March 30, 1926 gnvfmtou atto: 11144,

Patented Jan. 11, 1927.

UNITED A.STATES PATENT oFFl-CE.

JOHN R.' IBINGAMAN .AND WILLIAM BENNO NAGLE, 0F READING, PENNSYLVANIA.

IIEGGING.

Applition led March 30, 1926. Serial No. v98,415.

This invention relates to improvements in wearing apparel, and particularly to a novellegging, adapted to entire-1y cover or almost cover a feminine stocking.

Our improved legging may be used' as al l will protect the leg against weather conditions andpermit the wearing of silk or other thin stockings during Winter weather, without ill effects therefrom. The legging is made of Specially pre ared rubberized artificial or real silk or ot er cloth, treated to permit-itto assume 'the full fashioned shape of a stocking, and t0 be a protection at the same time against cold or inclement Weather'.V The legging is artistic in appearance, and constructed so that it will be not only a protection, but will be attractive. The legging is constructed to permit the use of either the so called hookless fastener, or any other suitable fastener, but we prefer to use the hookless fastener as it will facilitate maintaining'the meeting edges in perfect alignment. Such fastening will start at the heel and vextend to the upper end of the legging, -along'the vertical center of the back of the legging. When the hookless fastener is employed as part of the present invention, the upper end of the legging is formed by an elastic garter or the like, to permit the same to pass over a high heeled or other shoe, without inconvenience. As the fastener extends from the heel to this garter, it isl obvious that substantially the entire back of the legging may be opened.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which E ig. l is a side view of the legging shown on"a feminine limb.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side View of the leggingfwithits rear partially open for disclosing the presentinventlon.

.at its extreme edge.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

In the drawing, 1 indicates the bodynt. our legging which is formed of rubberized real or artificial silk, or other suitable elastic cloth, and may be of any desired color. The blank or blanks'` for the body of the legging may be cut from such cloth, and while a single blank may be sufficient, due to the elasticity of the cloth, we prefer to\ make the legging -up from two blanks 2, of the same configuratiom Each one of these blanks will form one side of the legging, and these blanks are sewed at the front to form a.' .front seam 3. This seam extends from the is preferably, sewed to the blank, and each of these strips carries hookless fasteners 5,

These hookless fasteners are manipulated by the ordinary operatin member 6, which separates the edges w en moved in one direction and .closes them when moved in the opposite direction. These hookless fasteners extend from the lower edge of each blank to a point adjacent the upper edge ofthe legging,but not entirely to the top of the leg'- gmg. The top edges of the blanks are permanently fastened together at the rear so that the upper part o the legging forms a band or Circlet, and to enhance the appearance of the legging at this point, we have provided the same With an elastic garter 7. which also functions to draw the upper edge of the legging snugly against the leg and prevent the legging from accidentally dropping down.

While it is not absolutely necessary to use the well known hookless fastener, we Iprefer to use this, as it will maintain a neat joint and facilitate opening and closing the rear of the legging. However, as such hookless fasteners are formed lof metal, they are liable to tear or discolor the stocking, and to prevent this, We have provided the rear edge of one blank with a relatively stiff flap 8, whichY extends throughout the height of' the legging and is sewed in place as indicated at 9,- When-the legging is in use; this flap will lie between the fasteners and the stocking and consequently will protect the stocking.

As the hookless fasteners will give an unsightly appearance to the rear of the legging, we provide the rear ed e of one .of the blanks with a strip of ur or other ornamentation 10, which is sewed in place and projects suiliciently to cover the fasteners when the device is in use. Due to this construction, the rear of the legging will have the appearanceo-f a tubular structure with a line of fur up the center of its back. We prefer to attach the flapV 8 to one of the blanks 2, and the strip 10 to the other one of the blanks, so as to obtain the over-4 lapping without unsightly bulging.

The lower edge of the. legging may be left plain if desired, but the legging is more lowing novel points attractiveif the lower edgeis provided with a strip of fur 11, which may be sewed to the legging. In some cases, we may place a smaller strip of fur at the upper edge of the legging where the garter 7 is located,

`and furthermore, we may make the legging blanks 2, and is adapted to engage the instep when the legging is worn.-

From the foregoing, it is believed the construction, manner of use, and advantages of the invention may be readily understood, and it is obvious that various changes may be made in the details disclosed, but we desire to call attention particularly to the fol- The endless upper portion of the leggi due to the hookless fasteners, will snugly t vthe leg, andI as the material from which the blanks are made is elastic, it is obvious that the legging may be readilyv drawn over the shoe or up over the knee, if it is made of sufficient length to extend above the knee.

The strip of' fur' or4 other trimming 10, which hides the line of hookless fasteners, is secured to one edge of the line of opening and projects over the vertical linevof fasteners when the latter dra-ws the open edges together, so that this `strip el'ectively conceals the fasteners.

The comparatively stiff flap or stocking protector 8, secured to one edge of the opening and projecting under the ed'ge of the opposite side, when the edges are drawn together, prevents damage to the stocking inv moving the memberl 6 up and down@ the leg. Furthermore, the ends of the strap 12 beingvconnected to the sides of the blanks 2,

function to hold the front portion of the leg snugly in place while the operating member 6, is being moved downwardly to close the rear of the legging.

What we` claim and desire to secure by Letters \Patent is:

l. A legging adapted to extend from a point adjacent the sole of ashoe to a point in the` vicinity of the knee, and to be worn 'over-a thin stocking, comprising a body portion opening at the rear only, and this opening' extending from the heel to a point in closeproximity to the upper end of the legging, the upper end of the legging being provided with an elastic band forming an endless top for the legging, the body of the legging being formed entirely of elastic ma-l terial to permit the same to stretch, to snugly fit the limb, and means for fastening .the rear edges of the legging together.

2. A legging comprising a body formed of elastic materialopening at its rear only along thecentral vertical line, the opening extending from the heel to a point in close proximity to the top of the legging, and the top of the legging forming an endless band, fastening means for closing said opening along its entire length, a'nd an -ornamental strip secured to one edge of the opening of the legging and arranged to project over the opposite edge of the opening to conceal said fastening means.

3. A legging of elastic material provided at its upper ed e with an elastic endless band, the rear o the legging opening along a vertical central line, fromsaid band to the lower edge of the legging, fastenin elements extending along each edge o the opening, and a relatively stiff flap connected to one edge of the opening and adapted to extend beneath the other edge of the opening to protect the stocking against fastenin elements. e

4. i legging of elastic material of the length to extend over a slipper to a point in the vicinity of the knee, said legging having a strap at its lower end to en age the inl step of a slipper, the upper en of the legging being closed by an elastic band, and the 'rear vertical central line of the legging being open from said band down to theheel, fastening elements for securing the edges of the opening together lalong the entirey edges of the o enings, a projecting Hap securedto one e ge of the openin of the legging a'nd projecting beneath t e opposite edge of the opening, and an ornamental strip for concealing said fastening elements.

5. A legging adapted to be worn over thin hosiery, comprising a body portion of a length to extend from a slipper to a point in the vicinity of the knee of the wearer, said body portion being formed of elastic material and having an endless elastic band at its upper portion to snugly engage the wearers limb and hold the legging up in position, the

portion of the body below said band-being adapted to conform to the configuration of the limb, and the rear of said body portion being split vertically along a central line extending from a point adjacent said band to thev lower edge of thelegging, the edges of the split being provided with hookless fasteners, a protecting Hap secured to one of l'the rear edges of the body and 10 adapted to extend beneath the other rear edge of the body to protect the stocking fr said fastening elements5 and an ornamental strip secured to the last* mentioned edge of the body and adapted to project over the fastening means for conceahng the latter.

In vtestimony whereof we aiiix our signatures. f l f JOHN R. BINGAMAN. WILLIAM RENNO NAGLE. 

